THE MISSING DETECTIVES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1926, Page 1

THE MISSING DETECTIVES

BODIES FOUND. [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] PERTH, May 12. The bodies of Inspector Walsh and Sergt Pitman were discovered in an abandoned mine shaft, the stencil from which attracted tlie searchers. The bodies were mutilated and undoubtedly were murdered. There are no further details. SHOCKING MUTILATIONS. BRUTAL MTJItTIERS. (Received this day at 9.0 a.m.) PERTH, May 13. The discovery of the bodies of Walsh and Pitman reveals a murder unparalled in the history of the goldfields. Acting cm information supplied by two moil who ivroe driving through the 3 bush, tho police arrived at a disused mine shaft near Coolgardic road. At, the bottom of the shaft which is sixty feet deep, the mutilated bodies of the missing detectives were found. The heads of both bodies were sawn off, the legs were sawn off below the knees and again above the knees. The trunks

were also sawn in half. The bodies were charred, and evidently the murderers bud various parts in a furnace in an endeavour to destroy evidences of their crime. Apparently the murder was committed some distance away from the mine and the bodies conveyed thereto in a. cart, the fresh track whereof led up to and avwy from the mine. At the bottom of (lie shaft, covering the bodies, were found fire bricks, gold scales, fire bars, and tongs of a furnace used for .smelting ore and several oilier parts of an illicit gold treatment plant. It is known that the detectives were v<itching a plant somewhere south of Kalgoorlio. Ibe heads of the men wore missing but they were identified by Choir clothes.